A Ronks Cinderella
by Mentathial
Summary: Princess Nymphadora is waiting for love to find her, while war brews in the Black Kingdom as the dictator Voldemort gains power. Can she find her true love in the Yule Ball? Also, who are the Marauders and which side of the war are they really on? The story can now also be found on fictionpress as it has been made into an original story.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE: THE PRINCESS**

A young lady sat on her windowsill, an open book in her lap as she looked out of the window at the rolling hills and plains below, the River Helga cutting through the land and the Tower of the Badger a small point in the distance. Princess Nymphadora Tonks pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them, the worn book ignored in favor of her thoughts. Soon, she would be Queen Nymphadora- how she hated that name!- and the one responsible for all these people, their happiness and safety. Granted Minister Kingsley would be there to help her as well as her parents, who were thankfully not planning on dyeing anytime soon, but the idea of so many lives in her hands scared her more than she cared to admit. How could she, a clumsy, bubbly girl rule over them? Fight, she could and she did that with all she had and she knew deep down that she would be a good Queen but still that tiny seed of self doubt was dancing in her head and honestly she did not need that now. Stretching she got up and smiled. She could do this and there was nothing to worry over, she realized as she made her way out of her room and promptly tripped onto the carpeted floor.

"Honestly Nymphadora! How do you plan to dance in the Yule Ball when you can't even walk properly?" Her mother asked her fondly as the two laughed.

"Don't call me Nymphadora! Why do I even need a suitor? Can't I find one after the ball?"

"That is you given name and I will call you what I wish to Dora and yes, you can find a suitor whenever you want but at least try to find one in the ball, after all every single person, every citizen of the country will be here, every single one of them, so it is likely that the man or woman to steal your heart will be there darling. Now, though, we have to go see Madam McKinnon and give her the design you want for the Yule Dress. We better not be late, you know how that woman can make a dragon seem tame!"

Laughing the two women made their way through the palace and then were driven to the McKinnon Mansion, a beautiful house on the edge of the Palace Hill.

Madam McKinnon's daughter Marlene was waiting on the porch for their arrival and escorted them to where the seamstress sat, with the Potter and Black Princes.

"Dora!" the two chorused in sync before coming over to hug her. She too held on too with a fierce grip, seeing her favourite cousins after six months.

"James! Sirius! How are you? Are you alright? Why are you here?"

"After six months and all she asks is why are we here? I am wounded Nymphadora, my poor heart cannot take this," Sirius said dramatically while James nodded, the picture of sincerity. Although Nymphadora could not stop the frown coming on her face due to the use of her given name, she really was extremely happy to see her two cousins.

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" She said hotly but her eyes were shinning with mirth as she again hugged her brothers before whispering in Sirius's ear, "Call me that again Siri, and I will tell Marlene exactly where your heart lies."

The Black Prince looked at her shocked for a moment before he burst out in a bark like laugh and James gave thumbs up to Dora before Sirius commented,

"WhyAunt Andy you have taught little Nymphie well!"

"Don't call me that!"

Madam McKinnon smiled at the Princess and the two Princes, despite being of royal blood, these kids did not have any ounce of vanity in them and despite the obvious disapproval some families showed, they behaved like equals with all citizens. Though, usually they were not so open everywhere but then her house had been a safe sanctuary to them from time to time.

"Marlene! Help me! I am dying here," Dora said but her best friend used to her theatrics ignored her and finally her cousins stopped hugging her and she was able to greet the lady that was like a second mother to her.

"Hello Dora dear, excited for the ball? Have you a dress in mind?"

"Hello Aunt Evangeline! Well, I don't exactly have a dress in mind but I am sure you have something I can fall in love with," Dora started to say when she tripped over the rug and landed face first on the floor, eliciting another round of laughter as six pairs of hands were held out too her. Grinning mischievously, she grabbed Marlene's hand and pulled her down too. Marlene on her way down managed to get hold of James, who toppled into Sirius and soon the four teenagers were a mass of entangled limbs and Dora was sure that Sirius and Marlene would resemble tomatoes when they got up. At least Mar would.

"Okay, kids, enough fooling around! Princess Dora has some dresses to look at and Mars sweetie you can help her if you want while the two Princes receive their tuxedos and finally they can try them on, now that Princess Dora is here. God knows how adamant they were about not trying them on before they could get her opinion about them," Madam McKinnon said fondly.

"Aunt Andy your opinion also matters so much to us, I would be unable to bear the pain I should feel should I wear something that little Nymphie and you do not like on Nymphie's Yule Ball!" James said dramatically before the two boys took their tuxedos and entered the changing rooms, evil smiles gracing their faces which made Andromeda wonder what was up and she was not wrong. Both of them had identical tuxedos, black with a gold piping and their House crests on the lapel with a red background in James's case and a silver one for Sirius. However, the true horror was on the back of their jackets where they had a majestic stag(for James) and a huge and handsome (dog in Sirius's case) embroidered. They truly looked stunning, Marlene thought but her eyes would not stray from Sirius's face.

"Stop it," she thought sternly and added, "And if you can't then talk to him!"

"Sirius! Aunt Walgura will kill you if she sees you in gold!" Andromeda said.

"Well, Mother dearest can do what she pleases but I for one am not putting up with her anarchy! Gold is the colour of the free people and I will support them all I can," the Black Heir replied calmly.

"Sirius, careful please! You know that the Black Kingdom is gaining more power right?"

"Yes Aunt Andy but they are just one small kingdom of bigots, they won't be able to touch us, you yourself are the living example of that," James replied to diffuse the tension and because he truly believed that. Yes, a distarous war might occur but war cannot be won without allies and man power and much more. All those bigots had was fear and while that was powerful, James believed that the might of the Six Sisters would be able t hold back the Black Kingdom, he was more worried about the Gaunt Lands and the new Dictator Voldemort there. If he allied with the Blacks, the tides of the war might turn against the Six Sisters and thus James was putting all his might in making sure that The Gaunts and The Blacks were watched carefully. After all, he wasn't a prince for nothing.

"James? You remembered Dora's gift did you not?" Sirius asked trying to break the silence that had descended upon the place.

"Finally he learns not to call me Nymphie," Dora added, understanding what Sirius was trying to do.

"Of course, Adorable Dora, I would never forget the gift that Sirius and I have deemed worthy of you," James replied and all was back to normal, though the war still shimmered in the minds of everyone in the room.

"Pray, what gift is that Prince Jammes Charlus Potter?

"Why Dora, the gift is that soon you will be meeting the last two members of our gang, Reme and Pete."

"Really James? Pete?" Dora asked dryly as the four teenagers made their way down the aisle of dresses, the Queen and Madam Evangeline busy taking measures for the Queen's own dress, as the Queen had had a picture in mind.

"Well didn't you always say Dora that you wanted to meet the two other idiots who hung out with Sirius and me, and had so many adventures with us? I distinctly recall your saying that you would want to honour them with laurels because they saved Sirius from being expelled from Hogwarts?"

"Of course but I have seen Prince Pettigrew, it's only this Reme character whose real name also you will mention to me that I am yet to meet. I wish I had also gone to Godric Towers like you but I loved Huffelpuff Homes way too much to actually miss you troublemakers," Dora teased.

"Dora! You cannot say that, you hurt," but whatever Sirius said after wards Dora did not listen to- she knew he was mock offended by her- as she continued looking for dresses.

"What about this?" Marlene asked her, holding up a dress.

Turning, Dora looked at the clothing in her best friend's hands and her breath caught. This had to be it, she thought looking at the dress that felt as if it had come out of her dreams.

A/N- I know I should update my other stories and I solemnly swear I will update them. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO: THE OUTCAST**

 _Remus, exited his house, blonde head bowed as he and his sister Lily made their way out of their small shabby hut, towards the main roads, careful not to be for as long as they did not absolutely have to. The eight year old walked in front of his sister, trying to shield the four year from view. Life was harsh and he knew if seen at best they would be ridiculed and at worst beaten badly. That was the law for the likes of him in the Black Kingdom, a law he had learnt to be weary of when his father was killed right in front of his eyes and his mother dragged to the palace by horses. At least she still, lived he thought hurrying away trying to be as small as possible. He knew they would not harm Lily much, not because she was a child but because she was a girl from the lower classes who could be dragged to the castle. At first he had envied girls, they were safer but then he had seen his mother return from the palace and seeing the state she was in, he knew, death was the easier option. Shaking his head, he gripped Lily's hand harder as the two came to the main road. The crowded main road and his heart sank. There were too many people and few of his kind. After all, not many of them were left. They surely would be noticed. Wishing that he could turn and leave with his sister, he trudged forward, trying to curl into himself as he walked, hoping no one noticed the brand mark face, if he kept it bowed enough._

 _They somehow made it to the castle safely and he sighed. That was one beating avoided. He knew there was no avoiding the castle guards and wish as he did; a five year old was no match and fighting only made it worse. He knew he was a monster, infected and vile but he never tried to hurt anyone, so why did they treat him like that? He also knew that this prejudice ruled the kingdom and no one could challenge it without great might because once his kind had hurt people, most of his kind did and thus his difference really did not matter because no matter he was a monster and always would be. It was his sister his heart ached for, she was innocent. Pure. Beautiful and just a child, unaffected by his freakiness, his beastly nature but he had condemned her and for nothing else was he so sorry._

 _Slowly the two approached the steps, Remus wishing that somehow the guards would forget that Lily was there but he had no such luck, as one mail clad, helm crowned man's hand closed around her dark red hair and tugged harshly even as another gripped Remus's forearm_ and a teenager woke with a silent scream as the memory of what happened later flashed through his barely awake mind and he stumbled out of his bed, eyes searching for his sister who had awoken and was getting him a glass of water.

"Remus, calm down, we are out of there, we are in the Potter kingdom remember?"

Remus nodded as he guiltily drank the water and bid her go to sleep, as he himself tried to return to the realm of Morpheus. Sirius Black had indeed gotten them out of the dark realm and he could not have been more thankful for his three best friends. Even if one did fancy his sister a bit too much for his liking, but then James was not all that bad. Just a bit of an immature prat whenever Lily was around or he was out of his "prince mode", the sandy blonde thought smiling as he once again fell asleep, the dream pushed back. For now.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- SO I feel terrible doing this to everyone who has read, followed, reviewed and favorited this story. Just because I am making it into an original story doesn't mean I have to stop writing it as a fanfiction. So I have decided to post the next chapter here, like in a fanfiction. Perhaps, I will take this story in a different direction to the original story or maybe not, let' see. But please do review and thanks for all the support.

Chapter 3- The Plan

Nymphadora smiled as she returned from the maid's quarters. Now if only James did his part.

"Marlene! Hello dear, what brings you to the castle today?" she heard her old teacher, Madam Pompona ask.

"Oh, The Princess wanted to see me," Marlene replied nervously, as most people tend to do when faced with the grey haired woman. Pompona was a plump short heighted woman with a heart as soft as marshmallow but if you didn't know her, she could come off as terrifying and one person very much terrified of Pompona was Sirius. Marlene too, despite having seen the soft side of the woman over the years.

"Well, I better rescue her," Nymphadora thought, as she picked up her skirt and went down the stairs, quelling a desire to run. Her neck might break if she tried anything funny in that gown. Oh! How she wished she was wearing her training clothes. The sturdy leather shirt and the loose pants were heaven in her opinion, though Marlene tended to disagree. But then, her gowns were not half as difficult to maneuver in as Nymphadora's were.

"Madam Pompona," the Princess said with a respectful incline of her head and the older woman bends at the waist. Nymphadora had long ago stopped her teacher from curtsying in front of her, she thought that honor belonged only to a Lady and any case, Madam Pompona had taught her all she knew and it felt wrong to think of herself as higher than Madam.

"My Princess," the old lady replied.

"Madam, are you interrogating Marlene again?" Nymphadora asked with a laugh.

"Why shall I ever interrogate the Princess's friend? It is just that I have heard the maids say something." At the mischievous smile that adorned madam Pompona's face, Nymphadora had to hold in a laugh. It seemed even her old teacher was invested in getting her two best friends together. Looking at Marlene's curious face, Nymphadora smiled again. This was already so much fun.

"Oh you know Madam," she said in a flippant voice, adding a careless wave of her hand for good measure, "they always gossip about something, especially when the Princes are here. What's it this time? How handsome Sirius is? Or how Prince James's bride would be the luckiest woman in the Eight Kingdoms?"

"While I should not encourage you to talk in this manner," Madam Pompona said sternly, making Marlene blanch, "it is Sirius this time. Well, have fun catching up girls; I have work to do with Her Ladyship in a few minutes. Marlene, My Princess."

Madam Pompona left with another half-bow and Nymphadora immediately linked her arm with Marlene, time to put the plan into action. Well, more than it actually was.

"So why did you call me here Princess?"

'Marlene, call me Nymphadora will you? Why are you so polite and title-saying all on a sudden, we are best friends!" Nymphadora exclaimed in an exasperated voice. She didn't need her best friend treating her like someone she couldn't confide in or something!

"But Nymphadora, you will be a Queen soon, it's just not appropriate," Marlene explained softly.

'You think I care about what's appropriate? To a certain extent maybe, but not you Mar. You are to me what Sirius is to James, my sister okay? Like those girls in that book, the one James was obsessed with last time he visited, what was it again?"

"The Castle's Tale?" Marlene asked her voice unsure.

"Something like that, but you know how the two girls in it were really close and always there for each other? Even till the end? That's us okay? Forever, no matter how many guys we marry or children we give birth to, we will always be Nymphadora and Marlene, sisters."

"Guys we marry?" Marlene asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you never know what the future hold right?"

'Right. By the way, you compared our friendship to that of Sirius and James, saying we are sisters, just like them. Is there something you are not telling me about your cousin Princess Nymphadora Tonks?" Marlene asked, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Oh, there is plenty I am not telling you about my cousin dearest sweetheart, but, first let's take a seat. My shoes aren't the best for all this walking and you know me clumsy as a deranged soldier who hasn't slept for months," Nymphadora said, a sly smile appearing on her face as they approached the garden bench. If all went according to the plan, James and Sirius would be somewhere nearby, hopefully hidden.

"Ouch, I think I stubbed my toe," she said as she felt pain shoot through her little toe. She looked down to examine it.

"Oh hey! Prince Sirius," her best friend's strangely squeaky voice alerted her to the failure of the plan and she mentally groaned. Did James really find no better place to hide than behind the only bench in the garden, the bench whose back had a designer hole in it through which the faces of anyone hiding behind it could be seen? Master pranksters and fools! The court jesters were better than them. She looked up to glare at the Prince but saw no one behind the bench.

"Where is his?" she asked her friend, utterly flabbergasted and even more when Marlene's face fell. What exactly was going on here?

"I knew you liked him, I was just testing it! How could you not tell me Nymphadora? How could you? You knew I liked him and yet you hid this from me? Are you two together?"

Nymphadora didn't know whether to laugh or shake her and roll on the floor laughing, so she decided to deal with this in a manner befitting a Lady of the Tonks. She was utterly shocked too but the urge to laugh was foremost.  
"Oh ancestral lords!" She wheezed holding her stomach but one look at her best friend and she stopped.

"Oh my! Mar, I am not laughing at you. Why would I? Sirius and me? Please, I would never court him even if he was the only man left on Earth. We are cousins, he is almost like my brother! Oh my ancestors, no, never."

"But you stood up so fast," Marlene counters in a soft, dejected voice but Nymphadora knows that Marlene has realized that it is a losing argument, she has realized Sirius and Nymphadora have nothing to do with each other. Romantically.

"Honestly Mar!" Nymphadora says, maneuvering us to sit on the bench. I hope James and Sirius are here and have heard the conversation and will be here for the next part.

"Marlene, sweety, take a seat. This conversation's been a long time overdue," Nymphadora says, the slight non-existent guilt she might feel for manipulating her friend disappearing at the fact that she was doing it for Marlene's own good.

"Nymphadora, you are okay right?"

"Oh yes, I am fine. This is not about me but you. Sirius and you, if you want to precise. Marlene, the thing is, I know you and I know him and I know you like him, I have seen the hints, we have spoken about him before and the way you speak and the way you broke down this last conversation all point to it but answer me honestly this once, do you like Sirius?"

"Nymphadora!" Marlene looked absolutely scandalized.

"Mar, it's just us and this wasn't a denial. You have to say, yes or no. He is a Prince Mar and now just any Prince but the Black King," Nymphadora said, before continuing, "one day he might have to wed for an alliance or maybe he will fall for someone, but I, let that be, see you have to say whether you like him or not."

"I do Nymphadora," Marlene said, "and you know it. I have said it before, maybe not so firmly but I think I might be falling and really hard for Sirius Black."

"What?" A loud voice asked. A familiar loud male voice. The voice of the King of the Black lands and Nymphadora's cousin, King or Prince Sirius Black. Nymphadora glared at James's sheepish look. That idiot thought, looking sorry and rubbing the back of his neck or musing up his hair would gain him forgiveness for ruining her brilliant plan and possibly causing heartbreak to her friends and he was so wrong but Nymphadora would deal with him later. Now she had an almost sobbing young girl and a Prince who was in love with said girl to deal with. She groaned, so much for the plan. At least Marlene was too petrified to run away. Thank the ancestors for small mercies.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - Have not abandoned the story. The next update will most likely be after I am either done with NEWTS or settled in college. Sorry for the long wait. I will try to be more regular in my updates. Do leave a review on what you think should happen in the story next.


End file.
